Further Information

Tryggvi Magnússon was born on the millennium year 1900, during times of drastic changes in the history of mankind. Wether it was new global inventions or breakthroughs, revolutions or world wars, world epidemics, crisis or disasters or just a simple civilization of independent Iceland in the making, it had a direct or indirect impact on all the colorful artcreation and forms on the island at that time.

Tryggvi was raised in Strandir and at young age his artistic exellence was soon noticed, where he was fascinated by mythic creatures and spirits and the heroics of famous vikings and their weaponry.

During highschool in Akureyri, he started preparing for a further education in arts in Copenhagen in 1919.

Moving back to Iceland, having studied art in Copenhagen, New York and Dresden, Tryggvi soon started working as a professional illustrator and painter.

Tryggvi was one of the editors and the main illustrator for the comic satire magazine "Spegillinn" for more than two decades.

Tryggvi designed the official sign/symbol for the 1000 anniversery celebration of the Icelandic Parliament in 1930. Tryggvi Magnússon was one of the artists that took part in making the ethnic background and the national surroundings of what was viewed or portrait as being Icelandic, with the same historical and cultural past and soon to be a independent republic. Tryggvi´s illustrations brought to life the glorious historical past of the vikings and their culture. He also designed stamps, one of the Parliament coins, the mens national costumes for the historical exhibition, postcards, playingcards and the signs/symbols for all the counties/provinces in Iceland.

The Icelandic playing cards, with famous characters from the Icelandic Sagas.

One of Tryggvi´s illustrations of the 13 Icelandic santas found in the book "Jólin Koma", with the poems of Jóhannes úr Kötlum.

Tryggvi Magnússon was the main illustrator for the “electrical” magazine Rafskinna, years 1935-1945.

One of Tryggvi´s ideas/illustrations for the official Coat of Arms for the Republic of Iceland.

A drawing of the official illustration of the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Iceland from 1944.

It is simply impossible to portray a solid description of the life and career of the artist Tryggvi Magnússon with a few pictures from his whole lifeswork, but hopefully it gives a good insight of him and his contribution to arts in Iceland.